User Interface for Creating Tags Synchronized with a Video Playback

• US 20090094520A1
• Filed: 10/07/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fall Front Wireless NY LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kulas, Charles J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

A system for handling video tags. The tags are displayed synchronized to a video. A controller manages and modifies tag data that can be created by one or more users. The controller identifies a tag dataset for use with a video and provides information for synchronization and display of the tags. Various user interface features are disclosed to allow one or more users to author, publish, view and manipulate tags. Features of a social-network website implementation are disclosed whereby a user community can post, filter, rate and display tags. User profiles are used to define tag characteristics associated with a particular user.

Claims

1. A method for creating tag information for synchronized presentation during playback of a video, the method comprising:

accepting a first signal from a user input device during playback of the video;

using the first signal to indicate an initial position of the tag with respect to the video display;

storing a first current time and the initial position in association with each other, wherein a current time value indicates a current point in the video playback relative to a start of playback of the video;

accepting a second signal during playback of the video to indicate a new position of the tag;

storing a second current time value and the new position in association with each other; and

creating one or more files that collectively include the stored time values and positions in association with tag design information, wherein the tag design information specifies a rendering of the tag when the tag is displayed in synchronization with subsequent playback of the video, wherein synchronization is according to the stored time values and positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video-tag information includes text to be included in the video tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video-tag information includes pointer information identifying a location or orientation of a pointer associated with the video tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a user option to adjust the video-tag further includes:

displaying one or more user controls to enable deleting, saving, importing, or replacing a video tag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a user option to adjust the video-tag further includes:

displaying one or more user controls to enable animating a video tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the video-tag information further includes:

data specifying movement of the video tag in, on, or relative to a video.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

providing a user option to enable or disable display of one or more video tags in or on the video.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a user option to enable or disable display further includes:

enabling a user to filter video tags being displayed or to be displayed in the video.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein enabling a user to filter video tags includes:

enabling a user to select a category of video tags to be displayed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein enabling a user to filter video tags includes:

enabling a user to display only tags associated with friends of a user during playback of the video by the user.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein enabling a user to filter video tags includes:

enabling a user to prioritize one or more video tags over one or more other video tags.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

displaying one or more video tags instead of one or more other video tags based on predetermined prioritization of each video tag.

13. The method of claim 1, further including:

providing a blog entry associated with the video tag.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the blog entry includes:

an indicator indicating that blog entry is associated with a video tag.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indicator includes:

a hyperlink to a location in a video associated with the video tag.

16. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying a user interface with one or more controls to enable a user to perform predetermined operations associated with the video tag.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined operations include:

enabling a user to classify the video tag into a certain category.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined operations include:

enabling a user to cause display of one or more category-selection controls that display during playback of the video.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more category-selection controls include:

a button to enable displaying or not displaying a predetermined category of video tags during playback of the video.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined operations include:

enabling a user attach field information to the video tag.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined operations include:

enabling a user to cause a video tag to change characteristics of the video tag so that the tag characteristics selectively change during playback of a video associated with the video tag.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more controls include:

one or more video transport controls.

23. A method for accepting multiple different users'"'"' inputs to add tags to playback of a video, the method comprising:

accepting first input from a first user input device during a first playback of the video;

using the first input to determine a first tag'"'"'s presentation at a first time in the first video playback;

transferring information about the first tag'"'"'s presentation to a network destination for use in displaying the first tag in subsequent playback of the video;

accepting second input from a second user input device during a second playback of the video, wherein the second playback includes presentation of the first tag in accordance with the first tag'"'"'s presentation information;

using the second input to determine a second tag'"'"'s presentation at a second time in the second video playback; and

transferring information about the second tag'"'"'s presentation to a network destination for use in displaying the second tag in subsequent playback of the video.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a first profile is associated with the first user, the method further comprising:

accepting tag design information from the first user, wherein the tag design includes information describing how to present a tag;

associating the tag design information with the first user;

transferring the tag design information in association with a tag created by the first user.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the tag design information is associated with a profile that is maintained at a website for the first user in association with the first user'"'"'s account.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

accepting signals to modify the tag design information in accordance with the first user'"'"'s account.

27. A method for posting a tag in a video on a multi-user website, wherein a user has an associated account, the method comprising:

obtaining information to define a style of a tag, wherein the defined style is associated with the user'"'"'s account;

determining that a tag is being posted to a video from the associated account; and

using the defined style to display the posted tag in the video.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the defined style is included in a profile page associated with the user'"'"'s account.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the defined style includes a color definition.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the defined style includes an animation.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the defined style includes a font style for text that is included in the tag.